FNE at Berlinale 2018: Georgian Film in Berlin
Featured

Georgia at the 68th Berlin International Film Festival (February 15-25, 2018)

This year, the Georgian National Film Centre will participate in the Berlin International Film Festival for the 13th time. Zurab Maghalashvili - the Director of the Georgian National Film Centre, David Vashadze - the Head of Film Export & Distribution Department of the Georgian National Film Centre as well as Tamar Tatishvili - the representative of Georgia at the EURIMAGES Council of Europe Cinema Support Fund and other representatives of the Georgian National Film Centre will be in charge of industrial aspects at the Berlin European Film Market (EFM) Pavilion.

The world premiere screening of the film “Horizon” directed by Tinatin Kajrishvili will be held within the section Panorama of the Berlin International film Festival, on February 16th. The film was developed with the support of the Georgian National Film Centre. It is a co-production between Georgia and Sweden. Leading roles in the film are performed by Ia Sukhitashvili and George Bochorishvili. The cast also includes: Soso Gogichaishvili, Nana Datuashvili, Jano Izoria and Lika Okroshidze.

Irakli Kvirikadze is among the 10 most promising European actors selected by the European Film Promotion. Young Georgian actor Irakli Kvirikadze, famous for playing the lead role in the film “Hostages” directed by Rezo Gigineishvili, has been named among the Shooting Stars of 2018. Irakli Kvirikadze, together with the nine most talented up-and-coming actors from all over Europe, will have the opportunity to attend some workshops, meet experts, directors, producers and casting directors during four days (February 16-19). An awards ceremony will take place at the Berlinale Palast on Monday, February 19, where each actor will be given a European Shooting Stars Award.

The film “My Happy Family” has been nominated for Germany's LOLA Awards by the German Film Academy. The screenings of the film will take place as part of a special retrospective LOLA at Berlinale, from February 18th to February 21st, at the Delphi Cinema. After the screening of the film the audience will have the opportunity to meet the crew of the film. The project “LOLA at Berlinale” is being jointly carried out by three partners: the German Film Academy, the Berlin International Film Festival and the German Federal Film Fund.

The BERLINALE CLASSICS section of the 68th Berlin International Film Festival will present the world premieres of a total of seven films in digitally restored versions. A winner of the "Golden Palm" of the Cannes International Film Festival - “The Cranes Are Flying” directed by Georgian-born Soviet director Mikheil Kalatozishvili will be among seven cinema classics to be screened at the Berlinale Film Festival.

A new film “NAMME” directed by Zaza Khalvashi will be screened as part of the section - Market Screenings – which present films to potential buyers from around the world.

The Critics’ Week will be held on February 14-22, 2018 in Berlin during the Berlin International Film Festival. German premiere screening of Ana Urushadze’s “Scary Mother” – the film which has collected a lot of international prizes and awards - will open the Critics’ Week.

This year three Georgian filmmakers will participate in the platform Berlinale Talents, which is one of the biggest and the most important platforms in the network:

Ana Sarukhanova – a director

Rati Tsiteladze – a director and a producer

Nino Varsimashvili – a screenwriter and a producer

In addition, Rati Tsiteladze’s and Nino Varsimashvili’s Georgian project “The Empty House” will be screened as part of the Berlinale Talent Project Market, as it was one out of ten projects selected to be pitched at the Market. The participants of the Berlinale Talent Project Market are given the opportunity to pitch their projects, meet some potential producers, sales agents and partners.

Georgia is actively involved in the activities at the Coproduction Market, which is a very important section for film producers.

Besides, within the frames of the Berlin International Film Festival, additional meetings are planned with the representatives of the film industries of the following countries: Sweden, Belgium, and Austria. The aim of the meetings, which are to be held at the initiative of the Georgian National Film Centre, is to promote co-productions between Georgian and Foreign directors and producers, which in its turn, serves the purpose of attracting foreign investments in the Georgian Film Industry. The projects of 12 Georgian Feature films, which have already obtained partial financing or are at a certain stage of development, will be presented during these meetings.

Ten Georgian film experts will present the following Georgian projects to their foreign counterparts:

"SAMGLE” - Director Ioane Fezuashvili

"SPINLESS" – Director Grigol Abashidze

"OTAR’S DEATH" - Director Ioseb Bliadze

"WINTER DEPRESSION" - Producer Valerian Kirkitadze

"THE KILLINGS" - Producer Valerian Kirkitadze

"FIELD" - Producer Nodar Nozadze

"NINA" - Producer David Isakadze

"MY HOUSE IN FRONT OF THE FOREST" - Producer Tekla Machavariani

"BORDER GAMES" - Producer Tekla Machavariani

"PANTHEON" - Producer Archil Kavtaradze

"STUCK TOGETHER" - Producer Paata Godziashvili

"VENICE" - Director Rusudan Chkonia

The Books at Berlinale will be held within the frames of the Berlinale Co-Production Market on February 19, 2018. This is the first time a Georgian literary work has been selected to be presented at the Books at Berlinale as a result of the cooperation between the Georgian National Book Centre and Bakur Sulakauri Publishing House. Davit Turashvili’s novel "Another Amsterdam", which has been selected as one of the twelve best literary works, will be presented to the international film professionals interested in film adaptation during the gathering planned to be held in Berlin during the Berlin International Film Festival.

On February 20th the Ministry of Culture and Sport of Georgia and the Georgian National Film centre, in cooperation with the Institute of Industrial Association of Federal land of Germany Meklenburg-Vorpommern plan to hold an important meeting dedicated to the participation of Georgia in the 2018 Frankfurt Book Fair. Film industry representatives as well as diplomatic corps and leading German publishers will be among the special guests attending the event. The President of the Frankfurt Book Fair will attend the event.

FNE UNIC Update

The Film New Europe (FNE) Association is the networking platform for film professionals in the CEE/SEE/Baltics region. The webportal and FNE newswire was chosen as the MAIN TOOL to achieve the network’s objectives of the sharing of know how, visibility of regional cultural diversity and finally the VOICE of the region.

FNE’s objectives include VISIBILITY for the region and AUDIENCES for films by providing a special focus on the region.